The Famous Swimming Pigs in the Bahamas

Hollywood celebrities like Johnny Depp, Eddie Murphy and John Travolta have all built private island homes in the Exuma Cays, a 120-mile-long chain of islands located southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas. The Exuma Cays are some of the most exotic and pristine islands in the Bahamas – two of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies were filmed here – and it’s easy to see why this group of small Caribbean islands continues to attract such high profile movie stars. The Exumas, however, are also home to an unusual and unexpected cast of characters: the famous swimming pigs in the Bahamas.

The famous swimming pigs in the Bahamas make their home on Pig Beach, the southernmost beach of Big Major Cay in the Exuma Cays. No one seems to know for sure how this small colony of pigs first arrived in the Bahamas more than a decade ago, but they’ve since become a popular tourist attraction; lazing around in the sun, frolicking on the sand and paddling out into the surf to meet the boatloads of locals and tourists that arrive each day to feed them.

Boat excursions to Big Major Cay in the Bahamas offer the unique opportunity to visit the famous swimming pigs. When the pigs hear the motors of the approaching boats they come trotting down the beach and into the clear waters of the Caribbean. Snouts upturned, they paddle out to the boats to get their scraps. The pigs will hang around the boats as long as there’s food, and getting into the water to swim with them is an unforgettable experience. Just remember, the pigs are used to being fed and will try to eat anything they can, so watch your fingers!